Two years recording in secret: The real story behind Davie Bowie's comeback... And what better way to knock Taylor Swift off the top of the charts, says his son

He stunned the world by announcing the release of his first new music in 10 years - but David Bowie has in fact spent the past two years recording in secret, it has been revealed.

The reclusive star chose his 66th birthday on Tuesday to announce his new album,The Next Day, and the release of a single, Where Are We Now?, which is already at the top of the UK iTunes chart - beating Taylor Swift - and will chart this weekend.

And on Tuesday, his longtime producer Tony Visconti revealed he had been working in secret on the 'contemplative' disc with the 'happy and healthy' superstar, saying: 'I've been listening to this on headphones, walking through the streets of New York, for the past two years.'

Reclusive: Superstar David Bowie seen near his New York apartment in October 2012

We could be heroes: David Bowie's new album cover subverts one of his most famous albums

Meanwhile, another cohort, Jonathan
Barnbrook, who designed the album cover that subverts Bowie's Heroes
album cover, told how the title is evocative of Shakespeare's Macbeth -
and told how the record is 'contemplative' and 'melancholy'.

Tony Visconti told the BBC: 'I have not tired of a single song. I
think the material on this album is extremely strong and beautiful. If
people are looking for classic Bowie, they'll find that on this album.
If they're looking for innovative Bowie, some new directions, they'll
find that on this album too.'

After spending years away from the spotlight, living a far from starry life in New York with his wife, model Iman, and young daughter Alexandria, Visconti admitted he was surprised that Bowie selected the downcast "Where Are We Now?" as the first single from the album, adding: 'It's a very reflective track for David.

'Maybe the only track on the album that goes this much inward for him. It's quite a rock album, the rest of the songs, so I thought to myself: 'Why is David coming out with this very slow, albeit beautiful ballad? Why is he doing this? He could come out with a bang.' I think the next thing you hear from him is going to be quite different.'

Bowie and Visconti first joined forces
in 1970 on The Man Who Sold the World. They worked together on many of
Bowie's most enduring albums, including Low, Heroes, Lodger and Scary
Monsters. After a long break they re-teamed in the early 2000s for
Heathen and Reality.

Proud dad: Film director Duncan Jones and his father David Bowie at the premiere of his movie Moon in January 2009

Cat out of the bag: Duncan Jones revealed the news of his dad's musical comeback

They worked on the new album at a very slow pace. 'We never spent more
than two to three weeks at a time recording,' Visconti said. 'And then
we'd take off as much as two months. We'd usually work on one or two
songs in an afternoon and we'd whip them up to shape where they'd sound
like great rock tracks.

'At that point there wouldn't be any final vocals
or lyrics. This is the same way I'd been working with him since The Man
Who Sold the World. He hasn't really changed in his approach.'

Meanwhile, Bowie's son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, could not help but be proud of his father as he tweeted his birthday wishes to his 'very lovely, very talented dad'.

Duncan, 41, added: 'Would be lovely if all of you could spread the word about da's new album. First in ten years, and its a good 'un!

'Also, what better way to knock Taylor f***in Swift off the top of the charts! ;)' However, Taylor still remains at the top of the US iTunes chart.

Old friends: Producer Tony Visconti and David Bowie on stage together at the Tibet House US Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall in January 2001

Writing on his blog, Jonathan Barnbrook said the album title evokes numerous reference points, 'notably
Macbeth’s speech ‘Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow ’ which deals with
the relentless onward push that any unnatural position of power
requires.

'It also has the existential element of Waiting for Godot with
waiting for The Next Day – these all seem to question the nature of
existence so a monochrome palette seemed most appropriate to this
feeling.

'However, we all know that this is never quite the case, no matter how much we try, we cannot break free from the past.'

He added: 'The new album is very contemplative and the “Heroes” cover matched this mood. The song Where are we now? is a comparison between Berlin when the wall fell and Berlin today. Most people know of Bowie’s heritage in Berlin and we want people to think about the time when the original album was produced and now.'

In love: Supermodel Iman tweeted a picture of her with husband David Bowie, taken in 2005, to wish him happy 66th birthday on Tuesday

Birthday message: Iman's sweet tweet to David Bowie

When asked why there is a qiant white square obscuring the image, Jonathan added: 'It would have been clearer to many people if we had scribbled all over the cover but that didn’t have the detachment of intent necessary to express the melancholy of the songs on the album.

'Obscuring Bowie’s image is also reference to his identity, not only in the past when he changed endlessly but that he has been absent from the music scene for the past ten years. Was this an act to hide his identity or that he has simply become more comfortable with it?'

Bowie's 2004 tour was cut short when the singer underwent emergency heart surgery for a blocked artery.

Rumors spread that Bowie's long absence from the music scene was related to health problems, but Visconti says that isn't the case, adding: 'He's a very healthy man.I assure you. I've been saying this for the past few years. I couldn't explain how I know that, but I worked with a very healthy David Bowie in the studio and a very happy David Bowie in the studio.'

The Next Day hits stores in early March and Bowie is not expected to go on tour.

Meanwhile, his wife, supermodel Iman paid her own tribute to the star by tweeting a picture of the couple locked in an embrace, writing: 'Where are we now?' Right here in you(r) arms..now & forever!'

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Davie Bowie's comeback: What better way to knock Taylor Swift off the top of the charts, says his son